The present invention generally relates to a latch assembly and, more particularly, to a self-presenting secondary latch assembly for maintaining a hood of a motor vehicle or other hinged panel in a partially opened position.
Vehicle hoods are typically provided with a primary latch and a secondary or safety latch. Hoods on such vehicles are biased upwardly when the primary latch is released and are latched by the secondary latch in a partially opened position when a striker member engages the secondary latch. Releasing the secondary latch allows the hood to enter a fully opened position.
It is known to provide a handle under the hood for releasing the secondary latch to allow the hood to enter a fully opened position. The position of such handles varies from vehicle type to vehicle type, and it is difficult for a person to anticipate the position of such a handle on a vehicle type the person is unfamiliar with. It is also known to have a secondary hood latch that has a release handle that is presented when the primary latch is released. Such secondary latches are mounted on a stationary portion of the vehicle within the interior of the vehicle""s engine area, thus taking up space within the engine area and increasing the time and cost of installation.
One proposed solution to the above problems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,562 to Foster et al. However, the complexity of the secondary hood latch described therein makes the secondary hood latch relatively expensive and time consuming to manufacture and assemble.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a self-presenting secondary latch assembly which is compact, which is mountable to the hood of a vehicle as a whole assembly so that installation is simplified and space is saved, and which utilizes few parts so that manufacture is simplified and production costs are decreased.
The present invention provides a secondary latch assembly which overcomes at least some of the above-noted problems of the related art. According to the present invention, a secondary latch assembly comprises, in combination, a mounting bracket, a release hook pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket, and a handle mechanism pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket. The release hook is movable between a locked position and a released position and has a slot having a first end and a second end. The handle mechanism has a rotation stop that is positioned within the slot of the release hook and that is movable between the first and second ends of the slot. The handle mechanism is movable between a first position where the rotation stop is positioned at the first end of the slot, a second position where the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot, and a third position wherein the handle mechanism is rotated from its second position while the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot so that the rotation stop urges the release hook from its locked position to its released position.
The secondary latch assembly may include biasing means for biasing the release hook in the locked position and may also include biasing means for biasing the handle mechanism in the second position. In one preferred embodiment, the handle mechanism comprises a release handle pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket and a striker plate connected to the release handle. In a second preferred embodiment, the handle mechanism comprises a striker plate pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket, a release handle pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket remote from the striker plate, and a connector mechanism operatively interconnecting the striker plate and the release handle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a secondary latch assembly comprises, in combination, a mounting bracket, a release hook pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket about an axis, and a handle mechanism pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket. The release hook is movable between a locked position and a released position and has a slot having a first end and a second end. The slot is positioned a spaced distance from the axis about which the release hook is pivotally mounted. The handle mechanism has a rotation stop that is positioned within the slot of the release hook and that is movable between the first and second ends of the slot. The handle mechanism is movable between a first position where the rotation stop is positioned at the first end of the slot, a second position where the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot, and a third position where the handle mechanism is rotated from its second position while the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot so that the rotation stop urges the release hook from its locked position to its released position.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a secondary latch assembly comprises, in combination, a mounting bracket, a release hook pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket about a first axis, and a handle mechanism. The release hook is movable between a locked position and a released position and has a slot having a first end and a second end. The handle mechanism comprises a striker plate pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket, a release handle, a connector mechanism that operatively interconnects the release handle and the striker plate, and a rotation stop attached to the striker plate. The release handle is pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket about a second axis a spaced distance from the first axis. The second axis is parallel to the first axis. The rotation stop is positioned within the slot of the release hook and is movable between the first and second ends of the slot. The handle mechanism is movable between a first position where the rotation stop is positioned at the first end of the slot, a second position where the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot, and a third position wherein the handle mechanism is rotated from its second position while the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot so that the rotation stop urges the release hook from its locked position to its released position.
According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, a secondary latch assembly comprises, in combination a mounting bracket, a release hook pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket about an axis, and a release handle. The release handle is pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket about the axis. The release hook movable between a locked position and a released position and has a slot having a first end and a second end. The handle has a rotation stop that is positioned within the slot of the release hook. The rotation stop is movable between the first and second ends of the slot. The handle is movable between a first position where the rotation stop is positioned at the first end of the slot, a second position where the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot, and a third position wherein the handle is rotated from its second position while the rotation stop is positioned at the second end of the slot so that the rotation stop urges the release hook from its locked position to its released position.
From the foregoing disclosure and the following more detailed description of various preferred embodiments it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention provides a significant advance in the technology and art of secondary latch assemblies. Particularly significant in this regard is the potential the invention affords for providing a secondary latch assembly that is self-presenting, that is compact, that may be mounted to the hood of a vehicle so as to save space within the engine area, that may be mounted as a whole assembly so that installation is simplified, and that utilizes few parts so that manufacture is simplified and production costs are decreased. Additional features and advantages of various preferred embodiments will be better understood in view of the detailed description provided below.